News

Vikings Stadium Proposal Fumbles Roads and Transit

06/28/2011

From Bill Neuendorf, Policy and Advocacy Program Director

Someone forgot to check the playbook when Ramsey County proposed to subsidize construction of a new football stadium in Arden Hills. Even with a $300 million subsidy from the State tax coffers and $350 million from an increase in the county sales tax, the owners still lack enough funds to build the stadium and the infrastructure necessary to support a regional destination of this type.

The drive remains far short of the goal line. The biggest gap is due to more than $100 million in additional costs to build new roads and interchanges to allow football fans to get to the Arden Hills site. Transportation improvements are requested because the site was never envisioned to accommodate peak traffic of this type. There are few exit ramps and NO provision for transit service to bring fans to and from the game more efficiently.

If Mn/DOT can’t find enough revenue to patch potholes and keep state roads in good condition, where are they going to find an extra $100 million for expanded roads and intersections? If sales tax rates are increased to fund a luxury stadium, will taxpayers still be capable of funding essential transit service that are used by workers and students across a much wider income range?

Sign this online petition if you have questions and concerns regarding a new taxpayer funded stadium built at a new location that lacks basic transit access.

Mississippi Market Joins Bicycle Benefits Program

On June 1, the Mississippi Market kicked off summer by becoming the first Minnesota business to offer a Bicycle Benefits discount to shoppers. The Bicycle Benefits program is a nationwide progressive bicycling program that rewards cyclists for their commitment to physical activity, a healthy environment, and encourages increased helmet use.

“We’re excited to promote not only bicycling, but helmet use and cyclist safety,” said Kari Binning, Marketing and Media Manager at the Mississippi Market. “We think this program is a great fit for the Twin Cities community and hope that other businesses participate as well.”

Here’s how it works:

Purchase a Bicycle Benefits sticker for $5 from a participating business

Put the sticker on your helmet and be sure to wear it –no discount without the helmet!

Show the cashier your Bicycle Benefits sticker to receive a five percent discount off your groceries

As an added benefit, your 1 ½” by 1” all-weather resistant helmet sticker enables you to get deals across the country. Other notable communities participating in Bicycle Benefits include Burlington, VT, Bozeman, MT, Madison, WI, and Seattle, WA –and the program is growing rapidly!

“I am excited to participate in this program! I really enjoy biking to the Market and I think it’s awesome that they are recognizing and rewarding the bicycling community here,” said Anna Cioffi, a regular shopper at Mississippi Market.

The Bicycle Benefits program is free for businesses to participate and the national program provides a “Business Start-up” package for purchase. Bicycle Benefits business members receive a decal for their storefront and a counter card to help inform customers about the program.

You can find out more at www.bicyclebenefits.org and join the movement to use pedaling energy to create a more sustainable community.

Crossing the street in Greater Minnesota can be more deadly than on the busier streets of the Twin Cities. Transportation for America’s new report, Dangerous By Design says the pedestrian death rate was above the national average in Cass, Becker and Itasca counties between 2000-2009. The report also includes an interactive map that allows you to find where pedestrian deaths are occurring near any town in the US.

Pam Kramer, Executive Director Duluth Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) points out that for more than 50 years, roads have been engineered for optimum motor vehicle safety, while safety for others using the roads has been overlooked.

“The things we need to do to make our streets safer are so basic -- crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes -- that they are always a good idea. But now that more and more people are getting active and as gas prices rise, this becomes critically important,” says Kramer.

A number of state and federal transportation programs are working to make streets safer for all users: Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and Complete Streets.

Over the last decade, 415 Minnesotan pedestrians have died in traffic crashes. But as the national transportation bill is being written in Washington, federal funding for pedestrian facilities is under attack. Nationwide, state departments of transportation allocate only 1.5 percent of available federal funds to projects that retrofit dangerous roads or create safe alternatives.

“We’re spending the tiniest sliver of federal transportation funding on pedestrian safety, even though they account for 12 percent of all traffic deaths,” said Andrea Kiepe, Field Organizer for Transportation for America. “Our tax money should be used to build streets, roads and highways that are safe for all users.”

Meghan Bown, Get Fit Itasca Community Health Coordinator, is working at the local level on this issue. Her rural county has a pedestrian death rate above the national average.

“Although we have strived to make improvements for pedestrians and will continue to do so, the City of Grand Rapids is not immune to these type of crashes. Last year on US Highway 169, a pedestrian was killed by a truck. Currently the US Highway has a speed limit of 30 mph, set-back businesses, and four lanes. The accident happened approximately four blocks from the nearest controlled crossing,” says Bown.

Especially when combined with unsafe street and road design, vehicle speed presents a deadly threat to pedestrians. Nationwide, nearly 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities from 2000 to 2009 occurred on roads with speed limits of 40 mph or greater. Pedestrians have only a 15 percent chance of surviving a collision with a car traveling 40 mph.

“Roadway design factors affect traffic speeds. Drivers slow down where the road feels ‘hemmed-in’ or there is noticeable street activity, and they speed up where the road feels ‘wide open’ or street activity is less noticeable,” says Bown.

Ethan Fawley, Transportation Policy Director for Fresh Energy, says more funding is needed to make roads safer for everyone, by adding sidewalks, crosswalks and trails. On the national level, the Safe and Complete Streets bill is being considered; it would make money available to states for these types of projects. Minnesota already has a Complete Streets policy at the state level, though it is less than a year old.

“Mn/DOT and seventeen local Minnesota communities have already stepped up with Complete Streets policies to make their roads safer for everyone, including pedestrians. But there is still much work to be done to improve safety for people walking and we need the federal government as a strong leader and partner for that effort. This report drives home that need and offers concrete steps that deserve action,” says Fawley.

Another federally funded approach is seen with the Safe Routes to Schools program. It encourages kids to walk, bicycle, skateboard, or ride scooters to class for exercise.

Rochester Mayor Ardell F. Brede, says there is public support for improving pedestrian safety. “Safe and complete streets make sense at any time, but when gas prices rise we seem to pay more attention to our mobility choices. Streets that are complete and safer allow and encourage walking and cycling –important factors to a society that is focusing more on healthy living.”

“Human health is a major contributor to all aspects of life including job performance, productivity, and personnel costs. Big business has long since realized that healthy employees do more for their companies. As a country we need to follow the lead of the business community. This includes improving transportation infrastructure. We need to continue to put money into making our communities more accessible for walking and biking. This will decrease our oil consumption, decrease our health care costs, increase our productivity, and boost our economy, says Bown.

City Trek 2011

From Dave Van Hattum, Policy & Advocacy Program Manger

City Trek 2011 Participants

Many credit young people for changing attitudes and habits around recycling and re-use. As we collectively try to create communities where people have real transportation choices, perhaps young people can once again lead the way.

City Trek 2011, a partnership of TLC and EcoEducation, was a day-long exploration of the environmental and equity impacts of the Twin Cities current (and future) transportation system. On May 3rd, 25 teachers and youth leaders spent the day experiencing and discussing our regional transportation system. Recognizing the value of learning by doing, participants walked, biked (thanks to Nice Ride), rode the Hiawatha light rail, and local and express buses (thanks to Metro Transit).

The diversity of the group, including Minneapolis and Saint Paul teachers who teach a range of subjects and students of varying ages, led to stimulating dialogue. Participants were encouraged to arrive at our downtown Minneapolis base without driving and the vast majority took the challenge.

The morning discussion focused on three strategies for reducing the environmental impacts of transportation: 1) public transit, 2) biking, and 3) more compact communities. The topic of equity came up in all the discussions, exploring ways to expand convenient and affordable transportation choices for those with low-incomes and from diverse communities.

The morning session included an overview of the Twin Cities transportation system and breakout sessions with experts on bicycling, walking, and transit. The afternoon session highlighted the equity issues of building new light rail lines, in particular the Central Corridor. Presenters Carol Swenson (District Council Collaborative), Metric Giles (Community Revitalization Project) and Christina Morrison (Saint Paul planner) got the conversation going with unique perspectives on planning for the light rail line and planning for changes to neighborhoods adjacent to the rail.

For many decades, mainstream assessments of our urban transportation systems assumed they were equitable because they were primarily financed by a user fee – the gas tax. Yet, this assessment completely ignored those unable to afford cars and fill-ups. TLC believes that building out a robust transit system will generally lead to greater equity. But, as participants in City Trek 2011 learned, more transit is a necessary, but insufficient, step to a more equitable transportation system. Where we locate transit stops, who builds the trains and highways, and how communities retain existing residents and businesses when new housing and commercial development cluster around light rail stops are key equity concerns going forward.

One critical step to more equitable outcomes is to make sure more community, and non-traditional, voices are heard in the planning (rail and development) process. I can’t say exactly how the teachers and youth who made City Trek 2011 such an inspiring and thought-providing day will carry forward the dialogue and ideas into lesson plans. But I trust that most of them will engage their students in pondering and imagining how best to get people where they need to go --an intellectual trek worth taking!

A Bridge Too Far?

From Bill Neuendorf, Policy & Advocacy Program Director

“It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.” -U.S. Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, October 2, 1968

The Scenic & Wild Riverways Act was created in 1968 with strong support by then-Minnesota senator Walter Mondale and Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson. After construction of an unsightly and mammoth power plant along the river’s edge, Mondale pushed this legislation on behalf of local constituents so that such a disruption could never happen again along the banks of the St. Croix.

In the early 1970’s the Governors of both Minnesota (Wendell Anderson) and Wisconsin (Pat Lucey) recognized the potential for new development to harm the scenic beauty of portions of the St. Croix. Noting the importance of this riverway for the enjoyment of future generations, they requested federal protection to deter further obstructions to the river and to prohibit new improvements along the banks of both the Upper and Lower St. Croix. Forty-years later, Governors Dayton and Walker seem to have forgotten the need to preserve and protect these irreplaceable natural assets.

For decades, ideas have been tossed around regarding the aging lift bridge that leads from downtown Stillwater to rural Wisconsin. Visitors, travelers, and some business owners get upset at the traffic delays that occur in Stillwater’s historic downtown when the lift bridge is closed to vehicles so that boats may pass underneath. Delays are particularly noticeable during the peak tourism months.

After years of preliminary studies, Mn/DOT and WisDOT engineers settled on a mega-design that would replace the 2-lane local bridge with a massive 4-lane bridge that allows tourists and commuters to bypass downtown Stillwater at 65 mph. The proposed design was selected over more sensibly-sized options that yielded significant mobility and reliability improvements at far lower costs. This is may sound like good news for people who want to whip past Stillwater and for trucks who want to avoid the weigh station on the I-94 bridge, but for local taxpayers who foot the bill, it is a solution that is no longer grounded in reality. Several people question why such a monumental bridge needs to be built a mere 5-miles north of the existing I-94 interstate bridge that operates below capacity.

The legal troubles for this hulking highway bridge are due to its proposed location within the federally-protected scenic and wild river (one of only 165 in the U.S.). After several rounds of review and arbitration, the National Park Service (the federal agency that enforces the Scenic and Wild Rivers Act for the Lower St. Croix) rejected the current bridge proposal on the grounds that it was disproportionately-sized and would result in a negative impact to the scenic beauty of the river and immediate surroundings.

Based on this determination, some residents felt that Mn/DOT and WisDOT would revise the design to select a more appropriately-sized bridge that had less impact to the scenic beauty of the river and a smaller price tag. This is where fate takes a strange turn.

In recent weeks, several Minnesota Senators and Congressmen have been trying to drum up support to ignore the rationale behind the federal protection so that the over-sized bridge can be built. Governor Dayton has supported these efforts. The plan to exempt the mega-bridge from the federal protection has the support of some Stillwater officials and even more support from real estate and banking interests in western Wisconsin. These efforts have outraged residents who oppose the further destruction of the natural scenic beauty of the St. Croix riverway.

The current fervor of the U.S. legislators is particularly concerning when listening to the daily cries of record budget deficits in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. At this time of fiscal constraint, can Minnesota afford to buy the Hummer of bridges when a Chevrolet will get the job done for half the cost?

It is not as though other options don’t exist. In fact, there are numerous options available to resolve the maintenance and traffic capacity needs of the aging lift bridge. Several options would not only improve traffic flow across state lines but would do so in a manner that complies with the federal protections. Alternative designs and locations have been proposed to reduce the scope and scale of the proposed bridge. These alternatives recognize the context of the Stillwater and Oak Park Heights communities as well as the scenic beauty of the riverway. A smaller scale bridge reduces the cost to both MN and WI taxpayers while still providing area residents with a convenient crossing.

In short, is it time to replace the aging Stillwater lift bridge? YES!

Is it necessary for Minnesota to build a mega-bridge that will result in additional sprawl in rural Wisconsin? NO!

Can Minnesota afford a massively oversized bridge that drains precious financial resources away from other bridge projects that are more heavily used and that yield greater economic benefits to Minnesota? NO!

Can a smaller St. Croix bridge and additional bridge repair projects elsewhere in the state still put construction crews to work? YES!

Can a more-appropriately sized bridge still satisfy the travel demands of today and tomorrow? YES!

Dayton Vetoes Transportation Finance Bill

Reacting to the $117 million gap between his own and the legislature’s biennial transit budget, Governor Dayton vetoed House File 1140, the Transportation Finance bill.

In a letter to House and Senate leadership, Governor Dayton explained his veto, stating:

“I believe that providing comprehensive and reliable transit services, both in the Metro area and in Greater Minnesota, are essential components of the transportation system in Minnesota. Transit services improve labor market efficiency, freeway performance and air quality in the metro area, while sustaining economic vitality in Greater Minnesota. The draconian cuts to transit in this bill are unacceptable to me.”

The larger state budget impasse, estimated at $5 billion, revolves around the general fund (i.e. income tax, state sales tax, corporate tax, etc). While transportation (roads and transit) is a very small share of the general fund, public transit relies heavily on this funding source (19% of the operating budget in the metro and 30% in Greater Minnesota). Conversely, road funding in Minnesota receives virtually no general fund revenues and benefits from the stability of three constitutionally dedicated funding sources (gas tax, tab fees, and the motor vehicle sales tax). Current projections show road funding statewide increasing $258 million over the next biennium.

Governor Dayton wisely recognizes transit’s role in a 21-st century, multi-modal transportation system. Transit plays a critical role in getting people to work and school (80% of transit riders are going to these destinations), in the efficient performance of our roadways (buses take up a small fraction of the space cars take to move the same number of people), and in contributing to cleaner air and water (transit riders, per mile of travel, emit about ½ the emissions of car travelers).

With no budget deal reached at the end of the legislative session, a special session and the possibility of a government shutdown (if no deal is reached by June 30th) loom. TLC supports Governor Dayton’s plan to increase income taxes for the wealthiest Minnesotans in order to continue to fund key state investments. Over the next month, it is imperative that transit riders and supporters let their legislators and Governor Dayton know of the importance of buses and trains to the quality of life in their communities and for all Minnesotans.